ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior/junior Craig Forys(Howell, N.J./Colts Neck HS) will represent the University of Michigan men's cross country team at the NCAA Championships on Monday (Nov. 22) in Terre Haute, Ind. Hosted by Indiana State, the men's 10,000-meter race is slated for a 12:45 p.m. start at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course.

Forys earned an individual bid to the national meet by claiming third place at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional last Saturday (Nov. 13) at Oakland's Katke-Cousins Golf Course. After running near the tail end of the chase pack for most of the 10,000-meter race, the Wolverine junior surged to the front in the 800 meters, emerging in second place down the final straightaway, where he was nipped just before the finish line to settle for third. The effort marked the fifth top-10 finish of his career, while Forys' time of 30:29.14 was a significant personal best, shaving 41 seconds from his previous 10,000-meter standard.

The NCAA Championships appearance will be the third for Forys in his career. He previously placed 96th (31:20.00) as a freshman in 2007 and took 137th place (31:10.1) in 2008.

Despite a one-year layoff due to injury, Forys has picked up where he left off in his return to cross country competition, pacing the Wolverines in two events this season while boasting three top-12 performances. One week prior to his third-place showing at the NCAA regional meet, he took 10th place at the Big Ten Championships (Oct. 31) en route to the second All-Big Ten second team distinction of his career. Forys crossed the line in 23:57.6, missing his 8,000-meter personal best -- registered two seasons ago at the 2008 NCAA Pre-Nationals -- by just two seconds. Adding an 11th-place showing at the Cowboy Jamboree (Sept 25), Forys owns 13 top-15 showings in his collegiate career, including four finishes among the top five.

For more information about NCAA Championships, including a detailed course map, please visit www.ncaasports.com.